Hallucination
by RazorCardz01
Summary: You never know what dirty tricks one can pull during battle. Grimmjow is about to find out exactly what kind of tricks he can pull with the help of his opponents psychology. That is, of course, if he doesn't destroy his own first.
1. The Sky

**Summary:** **You never know what dirty tricks one can pull during battle. Grimmjow is about to find out exactly what kind of tricks he can pull with the help of his opponents psychology. That is, of course, if he doesn't destroy his own first.**

**Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo**

**CH 1: The Sky**

The darkness truly was bliss. No beings could harm you in any way, shape or form. The darkness was not biased, accepting anyone that was either willing or forced into its embrace. It held a eerie air about it, but the solitude compensated exceedingly well. However, all good things had to come to an end and his eyes slowly opened their way into the bright light.

The sudden change in environment startled him at first, but he adjusted rather quickly by turning away. It hurt to look into the light. He knew this very well and so tried to slip back into unconsciousness. Or was it? For all he knew, he could have just been closing his eyes and drifting off in thought. But even in this state of grogginess, he knew he would have at least thoroughly examined his surroundings before going off into Dreamland.

At his angle, most of what he could see was the large, expanding sky. It was clear blue, fluffy white clouds passing by once in a while. But the more he looked at them, the more it didn't seem right. He tilted his head to the side, trying to think. Then it suddenly dawned on him; the clouds were going down the sky, not across. He blinked, trying to comprehend the sudden shift in direction. Perhaps he was at an odd direction? But then again, the mad rush of blood to his head seemed rather normal. After all, the large gash across the side of his head didn't stop bleeding. He tried to pick up a hand to touch the spot in question, but his body seemed paralyzed and wouldn't allow him. Growing frustrated, he tried to think of something else other than his sudden paralysis and resumed his thoughts on the clouds. Maybe he was delusional and simply imagined the clouds and the sky in this odd shift. So far, everything was new to him; he didn't even know why he was waking up in the first place. Did he lose consciousness from an accident? No, he wasn't that clumsy. Maybe someone attacked him? He furrowed his brow, trying to extended his memory. Sadly, his thoughts were interrupted when a face appeared in front of him, hollow eyes staring into his own. The other opened its mouth, the first words he had heard in a long while.

"What are you doing here?"

It was a simple question he could not bring himself to answer. All he was able to do was stare up at that face, his mind racing. Nothing was right; this place wasn't supposed to exist. He wasn't supposed to be there, yet he lay on the cool hard building, eagle spread on his back. The light breeze caressed his skin, causing him to shiver, though his body refused to move further. The eyes above him continued to stare, waiting for a response. He inwardly frowned. He was the Sexta Espada damnit, he would answer to nobody except Aizen-sama.

The man crouching above him however, did not understand this fact. Their focus was on his face, trying to decipher his purpose. He inwardly snorted. He wasn't aware of any purpose he had to fulfill. He only knew to kill and serve. He was a toy to a Godly man, doing the most ridiculous of tasks in order to live another day. Even now as he thought about it, he felt there was a limit reached. He couldn't fight forever. He didn't have the psychology to continue shedding blood where it was never needed. Despite what Aizen-sama and the other Espada told him, he felt that a part of him was still human.

Well, most of the time anyway.

He sighed, closing his eyes softly. He had to think about his situation and find a way to walk away in one piece. He retraced his steps, trying to remember every detail of what happened the previous 30 minutes.

_I was fighting him..._

His mind raced back to the desert. The one known as Hueco Mundo. He could see it for miles from his angle, the sand dunes giving it a sort of beauty. Many were carelessly demolished however, from their shared hatred of one another.

_He gave me that look..._

He recalled the blade, slicing into his tough skin, the blood pouring out. He remembered the pain, but refused to show any. He needed to prove he was the better fighter and pressed on, his heart pounding in his chest. The Shinigami held a defensive front that proved weak after so much fighting. He too had begun to feel the effects of the attacks, but his pride would never let him admit it; not out loud.

_Pantera..._

He remembered the sudden pause. The moment where both were took weak to press on any further. He had forgotten how long the stand off was because he had been too preoccupied with his diminishing release form. Pantera, after fighting for so long, had finally given in and was returning to a state of quarantine once more. He tried to hold on to it as long as he could, but it had reached its breaking point. He was then left defenseless, clouded and in pain. Pantera had absorbed most of the cuts and bruises, but he had to bear the rest of the consequences. So he stood, a broken Espada.

He tried to press his memories further, but the man above him had become impatient. With another quick jab to the forehead, the man asked his question again.

"I said, what are you doin' here?" He locked eyes with the man, trying to find something. Coming up with nothing, he simply lay there, trying to remember how to work his voice. He soon became frustrated when his tries became fruitless.

Why did he have to try so hard? He couldn't remember the last time he tried something because he was always able to do something. Trying was not part of his self written code and therefore should have to never been done.

But what about now? Now he was somewhere alien, on his back and most of his senses were just barely recovering from the sudden shock. The strange man was not making the situation any better, another jab with a slender finger irritating the Espada further.

"Hello? Are you deaf or what? What are you doin' here?" He blinked, finally taking in the question. He knew the answer from the start, but could not find the words to tell the strange man. His drive to find answers however, became reason enough to force himself to answer the long awaiting question.

"I don't know."


	2. Inner World

**CH 2: Inner World**

The man tilted his head to the side, not quite understanding the answer. Frowning, he leaned into the Espada's face.

"What do you mean_ you don't know_?" he asked. The Espada frowned, trying again to get up from the floor.

"I mean..." he grunted, putting all of his strength in trying to lift his head. "...I. Don't Know." The man above him huffed, falling backwards until he rested on the ground next to him, Indian Style. He placed an elbow on his knee, cradling his head in his hand.

"Are you lying?"

"Why would I lie when I'm in this kind of position?"

"You don't seem like the truthful type. More like a sniveling liar." Grimmjow was becoming irritated with the man, barring his sharp teeth in emphasis.

"Do you even know who I am? I'm-"

"Lemmie guess: you're Grimmjow Jeagerjaques, the Sexta Espada of Hueco Mundo." There was silence.

"How the hell do you know that?!" The man shrugged.

"Lucky guess." Grimmjow grimaced.

"Who are you anyway?"

"Who are you?"

"You already said you knew who I was, now I'm asking you who you are, dumb ass!" Grimmjow yelled. The albino man gave him a stern look, a frown appearing on his face.

"If you're askin' for a name, I ain't got one." Grimmjow raised an eyebrow, glaring at the albino. How did he manage to stay so white in this kind of weather?

"Fine. _What_ are you then?" The albino sighed heavily, not bothering to hide his irritation.

"God damn you're annoyin'..."

"Well I have to know who I'm dealin' with before I kill them!" Grimmjow growled, trying again to get up from the floor. If he had the strength, he would have killed the albino right then and there for talking back to him in such a demeaning manner. But all the hate in the world wasn't going to allow him to get up, forcing him to lay back down from his 1 centimeter of progress. To make matters worse, the albino was actually smiling at his vulnerability.

How dare he.

"Tsk, tsk, how rude of you, planning to attack a defenseless man such as myself. I haven't even made a move to hurt ya and you're plotting against my help?" He looked over the Espada, his smile growing. "From the looks of it, even if you wanted to kill me, you're in no position to do so, am I right?" The Espada opened his mouth to say something, when one part of the man's speech caught his attention.

"You? Help? I wasn't aware of this help." he questioned, his expression softening ever so slightly.

"Well I have to clean up the crap that ends up around here." The albino looked up at the sky, unaware of the darkening expression on the Espada's face. Unconsciously, he made the same face. "Anyway, we should get inside. It's going to rain soon." With that, the albino stood up, brushed off his strangely familiar pants and bent over Grimmjow. Tensing up as much as he thought he did, he allowed the man to grab him by his wrists and haul him in a sitting position with little effort. Still trying to get over the fact that that was ridiculously easy, Grimmjow waited somewhat patiently as the man slung his arm around his shoulder, wrapping his arm around Grimmjow's waist for further support. He then hoisted him up, giving Grimmjow a moment of satisfaction and relief. At least his legs still worked.

At the moment, though, they could only support his weight. As soon as the albino started walking on ahead, Grimmjow's feet would not obey the motor command and simply dragged behind him in a fit of paralysis.

"Where are we going?" Grimmjow asked, knowing he had no choice in the matter.

"To find some shelter from King's stupid rain."

"Yeah? Who's that, you?" Grimmjow asked sarcastically.

"Yes and no."

"What's that mean?"

"Why do you care? It doesn't concern you." Reaching the edge of the building, the albino looked out into the distance, scanning for something. Spotting what he needed, he crouched down, preparing to jump. Grimmjow panicked, suddenly realizing the danger he was forced into.

"Wait a minute! What are you doing?!" he asked frantically, missing the fact that he lifted his arm to grab at the albino's black and white robes feebly. "You can't carry my dead weight around like that! You could drop me into oblivion!"

"Would ya quit acting like a damn lady?" the albino answered, tightening his grip around the Espada's waist. "Be a man for once." Without warning, he jumped, the cool air washing against Grimmjow's face. The building they previously stood on became smaller as they reached an all time high, another building coming into view. All the while, Grimmjow tried to get the feeling back into his limbs, the wind carelessly moving them around like string cheese. Unsuccessful, he put on another frown, waiting for the albino to touch base with the new building. Now that he thought about it, all the sideways buildings looked exactly the same, despite their different lengths. It wasn't a huge discovery, but it made Grimmjow wonder what kind of place this was and exactly who the albino was that currently placed him back down on the ground.

To his delight, Grimmjow began to get the feeling back into his body, his arms moving in haphazard direction. He was still not strong enough to lift himself up though and so he waited for the albino to finish prying open a window.

"What are you doing?" he asked, trying to occupy himself from the droplets of water that began to fall on his unprotected face.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he answered, putting the widow aside. Brushing off his hands, he walked back to where Grimmjow lay and picked him up once more from underneath his arms. He then proceeded to drag the Espada across the side of the building and next to the open window sill. "Are you ready?" The albino asked, pushing Grimmjow's legs inside the opening.

"Don't you dare-" Grimmjow's words were cut off as the albino dropped him inside the building, not waiting for his answer. He had expected to hit a solid wall, but instead his fall was cushioned by a large couch. Barring his teeth in anger, he tried to readjust himself on the couch so he wouldn't suffocate, all the while the albino joined him inside. Defying gravity, the albino pulled the window from the outside and replaced it in the frame, the rain now coming down in large, fast droplets. He then proceeded to join Grimmjow on the couch, waiting for him to start their next conversation.

"I'm going to kill you when I get my strength back." Grimmjow growled. The albino simply laughed.

"Do you know why you're strength has gone missin'?" He asked, almost rhetorically. Grimmjow fell silent. Now that the albino had mentioned it, he didn't have the slightest clue why he was suddenly so weak. Sure, he was physically hurt, but that was no reason why his strength was reduced to that of an infant. It was coming back, slowly, but what were the chances that it could happen again? Most importantly, would this strange effect be permanent? The albino sat back in the couch, a smile on his face as usual. Grimmjow wanted to tear it right off. "You're not supposed to be here."

"What?" The albino lifted a finger, pointing it towards himself and then towards Grimmjow.

"I am a Hollow...You are a Hollow. Two cannot share one body, therefore your makeup as a Hollow has been disrupted, physically paralyzing you for a moment of time. How you entered, I cannot answer, but that only makes this predicament all the more mysterious." His grin grew sickeningly wide. "You as a Hollow, must leave this body, or you will become distorted and eventually die a painful, horrible death."

"...Death?" Grimmjow asked, his voice small. The albino nodded, sympathy absent in his expression. "What...What the hell kind of place is this?!" he yelled, frustrated. This was defiantly not what he had expected and now he was doomed to die unless he had left. It sounded easy, but this place was foreign to him and most likely not Hueco Mundo. Hell, it probably was another dimension for all he knew. The albino gave him an unreadable expression, his smile completely gone. Grimmjow braced himself for the worst.

"You, my friend, are in the Inner World of Kurosaki Ichigo. Of my King."


	3. Establishment

**CH 3: Establishment**

Grimmjow fell silent. Anything he was going to say died on his tongue, his eyes widening in pure shock. The recently dubbed Hollow sat across from him, biting his black nails in boredom. Above them, the rain pattered against the window softly, the clouds dark and gray. Then, the inevitable happened.

"I'm inside Kurosaki's head?!" Grimmjow exclaimed, jumping to his feet in a sudden burst of strength. "Are you fucking kidding me?! This is probably the worst place I could be at the moment!!" The Hollow rolled his eyes.

"I never said it was great here. This place sucks ass and I want to leave here as much as you do." Grimmjow stared at him, thinking quickly in silence before letting out a somewhat maniacal giggle.

"It makes sense now..." he said more to himself, the Hollow raising an eyebrow at his sudden loss in sanity. "You look just like him...yes, it makes sense. You have his hair, his eyes, his stupid face. Your stupid King is the reason why I'm here. That ass face thinks he can send me into oblivion by making me live with his Hollow." He looked up wards, his finger pointing viciously in the same direction. "Do you really think you can beat me this way?! Huh, Kurosaki?!" he yelled, barring his teeth. "Well I'll be more than willing to prove you wrong!!"

"Calm down retard." the Hollow growled, throwing a pillow at Grimmjow's head. "You're going to attract the old man." The pillow bounced off of Grimmjow's head, causing him to veer his attention towards the Hollow.

"What did you call me?" he said quietly, moving to pick up the pillow.

"Reta-" Before his could finish his insult, the Hollow was suddenly unable to breathe as Grimmjow forcefully placed the pillow over his head. Crawling on top of the struggling body, he used both his hands to keep the pillow in place, ignoring the hands that scratched viciously at his forearms.

"Die you piece of white shit!" Grimmjow yelled, pressing down as hard as he could. Suddenly, a hand grabbed the back of his collar, quickly yanking him off the Hollow and onto the floor. His head knocked painfully against the ground, his strength disappearing once more. Forced to lay limply on the floor, he closed his eyes and tried to get rid of the stars in his vision.

"What do you think you are doing?" a low, deep voice spoke from above. Off to the side, the Hollow had quickly taken the pillow off of his face, trying to get his breathing back to normal. Slowly opening his eyes again, Grimmjow looked up and saw a new, unfamiliar face. The man was tall and thin but appeared much more older than the Espada because of his slight facial hair. He had wild, long black hair, his eyes hidden behind pointed sunglasses. His tall figure was covered in a white collared black coat, the shredded end almost touching the floor. Grimmjow's head tilted to the side slightly, black boots tapping against the floor impatiently.

"Zangetsu..." the Hollow murmured, throwing the pillow back in it's place. The man ignored him and stepped towards Grimmjow's still form, crouching down to his level.

"Well?" he asked, peering at him with the slightest of interests. In no position to reject an answer, Grimmjow sighed.

"That Hollow called me a retard." he growled, giving the one in question a glare. "So I proceeded to kill him." He looked the man up and down. "What, are you his mother or something?"

"Shut up, stupid!" The Hollow yelled from his seat. "Do you know who you're talking to?! That old fart is Zangetsu, King's Zanpakuto. He's the one that's been kicking your ass this entire time, save for one; I partially fought you when your arm was sliced off." Zangetsu sighed, looking at the Hollow as Grimmjow stared in disbelief.

"Do you have to call me an old fart?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Ichigo already calls me that on a daily basis." The Hollow smirked.

"No, but it makes me feel important."

"You're Kurosaki's sword?" Grimmjow asked suddenly, gathering enough strength to push himself up in a sitting position on the floor. Zangetsu looked back at him, thinking quietly.

"I guess you could say that."

"Then I have to kill you." Grimmjow managed to stand on his knees, glaring daggers at the older man. Zangetsu simply stood up, looking down at him.

"Is that so? Well the how will you accomplish that, seeing as you are injured and have no Zanpakuto?" Grimmjow blinked, reaching for his sword hilt. To his surprise, he grabbed nothing but air.

"What the?!" he exclaimed, looking all around his waist, trying to find that familiar blue handle. "Where is it?! What did you do with my sword?!" He looked at Zangetsu, then at the annoyed Hollow. Balling up his fists, he demanded for an explanation.

"Nothing." the Hollow said. "Your stay here is starting to affect who you are now. First it's your sword, next it'll be your physical being." He looked up, listening to the rain. "Like I said before, if you don't find a way out, you'll be overcome and returned to a state of nothingness."

"So take me back."

"Uh, no? Why should I risk doing that for a dipshit like you?"

"Actually..." Zangetsu silenced them before Grimmjow could come up with a comeback. "If we allow you to stay, it could also affect Ichigo as well..."

"In a bad way?" Grimmjow asked, somewhat hopeful. Zangetsu nodded.

"Though, it would mean the end of you as well. We defiantly cannot have that happen..."

"So what do you suggest we do, old man?" the Hollow asked, now completely lounging on the couch. "If we keep him here, I'll be forced to kill him for messing with King. He'd also fuck up my chances of ever destroying him and taking the crown."

"Why do you keep calling him that?" Grimmjow asked, getting up on his shaky feet to sit on the couch. "Are you his slave boy or something? Hollows are supposed to be fierce and controlling. You're a sorry excuse for one if you ask me."

"My powers are suppressed by his Spirit Force." the Hollow said in a matter of fact tone, scooting away from Grimmjow as he took a seat. "I have to catch him in a time of weakness or consent to have my full powers come out in the open. In case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm not completely out to protect him as often as you think. I want to take his body and control him to the point where I become the King of this Inner world and his being." Grimmjow snorted, folding his arms across his chest.

"How weak."

"Anyway" Zangetsu cut in suddenly. "The point is we have to get you back to the outside world and at Hueco Mundo where you belong. Hichigo, fix him up and take him to my post when the rain has stopped. I'll be waiting there as usual."

"Sure thing, old fart." Hichigo said sarcastically, saluting the man. Nodding, Zangetsu disappeared through a Flash Step, leaving the two alone once more. Getting up from the couch, Hichigo, took out a small box from a nearby table and brought it back to where Grimmjow sat. Opening it, he took out a bandage roll. Grimmjow frowned. "Ready?"

"I'm not letting you touch me with your cold hands." he growled. Hichigo ignored his protests and sat close, positioning the man's head. Unrolling the roll, he began to wrap it around the top of Grimmjow's head, somewhat surprised that the Espada did nothing more to resist.

"Giving up already?" he asked, studying his face.

"I'm not giving up" Grimmjow replied bitterly. "I'm doing this for my own benefit." Hichigo rolled his eyes, but continued to wrap the bandage, the two falling silent for a few minutes. "...I thought you said you didn't have a name." Grimmjow muttered after some time.

"Not an official name." Hichigo replied just as quietly. "The old man just likes to call me that. He thinks he's creative and shit. If you ask me, he's a complete idiot." Grimmjow snorted, looking off to the side

"But you listen to him because you're basically powerless most of the time, right?"

"Every so often." Grimmjow became silent once more, his body relaxing.

"...do you want to stay here forever?"

"No. I want to leave and become my own figure and not have to answer to King anymore."

"Like me?"

"Sure, I suppose." Grimmjow though to himself for a few minutes. He had only been here a few minutes, possibly for an hour and he had already found a weakness in Kurosaki's inner self. His Hollow didn't want him around and would rather have it's own body to control. He didn't know any body's that the Hollow could take, but if he looked around long enough, he could probably find one. He would then have to figure out the process of splicing the genetics of Hollows and Soul Reapers, the only one with that knowledge being Syzael Aporro Grantz. Perhaps if he convinced the Hollow to become a splice experiment, he could reduce Ichigo to a much weaker Shinigami and all the while have a part of him on his side. It would take quite a bit of work, but he was determined to hack down Ichigo to a pile of useless Spirit Force. He returned to looking at Hichigo, the Hollow giving him an odd look after a while.

"What if I told you I know someone who could give you that power?" He asked quietly, watching as Hichigo movements slowed down.

"Does it involve my destruction in any way, even after claiming that power?"

"Not at all."

"...I'm listening."


	4. Acid Trip

**CH 4: Acid Trip**

"So...let me get this straight..." Hichigo said quietly, pacing around the room slowly. From the couch Grimmjow watched him, his limbs trying to get out of their paralyzed state. Though, now that he thought about it, they would spasm again sooner or later. For now, he took over the two person couch, his arm slung over the back. The other supported his head, his elbow situated comfortably on the couch arm. His expression was blank, but his eyes reflected the same monotone anger Ichigo had seen in their last few battles together. I guess you could it say it was his default expression. "If I take King to the...what was it again?"

"The East Wing."

"Right...the East Wing of Las Noches and I convince him to let me take over, you'll have one of your followers help me separate from him forever?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right." Grimmjow said, his tone flat and unenthusiastic. He glanced upwards at the window, the rain showing no sign of stopping. Inwardly sighing, he looked back at the Hollow. Hichigo nodded at his confirmation, stroking his chin in thought.

"Will you hurt him?"

"No, I'll meet up with him and give him a bouquet of flowers." Grimmjow said sarcastically, earning a glare from Hichigo. "Of course I'm going to hurt him. I won't kill him, but I'll beat the shit out of him for a little bit. It's just enough so you'll have a chance to take over." The Hollow grimaced slightly.

"What would the separation process be like, exactly?" Grimmjow shrugged.

"I don't know. But from previous experience as a witness, it's very painful. But that's to be expected of Aporro."

"Aporro?"

"Yeah, he's the guy that'll be separating you from Kurosaki. He's a bit off, but then again, so are you." Hichigo rolled his eyes, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"We'll you're not exactly perfect yourself. If King was much weaker, I could have killed you that day in Karakura Town. But of course, King doesn't let me do that."

"Why not?"

"Because he insists on being friends with every single person he meets. It's ridiculous, really. Well okay, there was that one time with that Bount. He called me just when he was about to die, so I had to kill the Spider bitch to save his stupid-" Hichigo's sentence was cut off when a sudden wave hit them. He froze as the building shook momentarily, looking up as some of the plaster fell down to the floor. Grimmjow made a move to get up from the couch, when he suddenly went ridged, his throat tightening. Gritting his teeth, his whole body suddenly went into a painful spasm, his senses temporarily going haywire. As soon as the wave disappeared so did the pain, leaving the Espada breathing heavily and his body shaking all over as it tried to relax again.

"What the...hell was that?" he asked, wincing as his voice would not go higher than a hoarse whisper. Hichigo glanced at him, finally walking towards the limp Espada and showing no signs he was as affected by the event.

"Come on, we have to go now." Without waiting for an answer, he grabbed Grimmjow's wrist, hauling him to his feet. Keeping his grip firm, he used Shunpo and brought the two of them to another building. The rain had considerably grown, wind whipping around them. In front of them stood Zangetsu, precariously balanced at the top of a pole. "Hey, Old Man." Hichigo said, letting go of the heaving Grimmjow and allowing the man to fall to his knees in a sick mess. Grimmjow had used Sonido before many times, but this one felt like being kicked in the stomach to the point where he felt like upchucking his innards. Holding his abdomen, he leaned forward until his forehead touched the ground, ignoring the slight odd stare from the other two. "He has to leave now. That energy fluctuation was not supposed to happen for another few hours." Zangetsu nodded, jumping down from the pole.

"What's his state?" Hichigo looked back at the Espada who had, during their conversation, fallen to the ground on his side and curled up into a fetal position. His face had relaxed more than usual, anger no longer showing.

"Not good."

"Then sit him up. I'll take him back." Nodding, Hichigo approached Grimmjow's still form from behind. Crouching down, he stuck his hands through the Espada's armpits, lifting him up in a sitting position. Wrapping his arms around his chest to get a better grip, he kept the limp Grimmjow still.

"There ya go." Hichigo said casually, resting his chin on the Espada's neck, Grimmjow's head resting the opposite side. He tried to break from the Hollow's grip, the warmth on his back from Hichigo's chest more than uncomfortable, but he was too tired and in pain to lift up his arms.

"Let...go..." he muttered, his eyelids sagging. Ignoring his request, Hichigo held tight, waiting for Zangetsu.

"This might tingle a little bit." Zangetsu said, not sure if the Espada heard him at all. Crouching down to his level, he lay his palm flat on Grimmjow's heaving chest. Suddenly, his hand began to glow a light blue color, eventually turning a bright white. Without missing a beat, he pressed down, his hand slowly sinking through Grimmjow. Grunting, the Espada began to struggle, his breathing pattern interrupted with the bony hand now fully engulfed under his skin. He shivered as he felt Zangetsu's hand move from within, his fingers searching for something. Hichigo tightened his grip on him as he continued to struggle, watching intently as Zangetsu continued to prod. After a few moments the Elder Spirit smiled, finding what he wanted. He then pulled his hand out slowly, grasping a golden thread. It was very thin, though it seemed to resist his tugging as if it were attached to something from inside of Grimmjow. Hichigo raised an eyebrow at the thin strand.

"What the hell is that?"

"This is the Hollow's connection to an inner world." he said casually, spinning the thread between his fingers. "Or what I like to call a Hollow's Thread. These are created when a Hollow occupies the body of a Soul Reaper, or in this case is forced into one. You have one as well, though not as thin."

"Does it do anything?"

"It keeps your being intact from the outside threats, such as fluctuating reiatsu similar to the one you two experienced moments ago. You are not affected by them as much he is, because you are supposed to be here. Like I said before, his Hollow Thread is very thin due to inexperience in an inner world. It's thin and easily breakable. Yours would be more like a ribbon; strong and extremely long lasting considering it would be so much more longer. If it is broken by reiatsu, the Hollow would be wasted away. If another being, such as myself were to break it, the Hollow would simply be drawn out of the inner world and back to their original placement before having entered." Grimmjow was soon pale, his eyes locked onto the thread coming from his chest cavity. Zangetsu looked at him, his other hand pinching the middle of the thread.

"Don't worry, you'll be better in no time." He pulled the middle of the string in one direction, severing it immediately. A sudden odd tingling sensation washed over the Espada, forcing him to suck in a tight breath. Closing his eyes, he felt the Hollow's breath near his ear, his body numb.

"Don't forget about our deal, Arrancar." he whispered, letting go of Grimmjow. Barely catching his words, Grimmjow could no longer feel what was around him, nor the pain he had been experiencing. Keeping his eyes tightly closed, he waited for the cold embrace of unconsciousness to consume him once more.


	5. The Assembly

**CH 5: The Assembly**

The time seemed to be seconds between when he had closed his eyes to the moment he opened them. Blinking out of both confusion and dizziness, Grimmjow couldn't tell much about where he was at the moment, but he knew he was still alive.

That was the good news.

The bad news became horrendously evident when his eyes focused on the figure above him. Frown in place, he couldn't help but snarl at the woman.

"What the hell do you think you're doin'?" he snapped, making Orihime flinch.

"I'm healing you..." she said quietly, looking down at her hands in between both of them. "Kurosaki asked me to..." Huffing, Grimmjow shifted up into a sitting position, forcing Orihime to move away from him and stop the healing process. However, the distance wasn't enough to prevent Grimmjow from reaching over and shoving her down. Falling down on her back, she curled up just slightly as he stood up to brush himself off.

"I didn't ask you to heal me" he said, watching her debate whether or not she should sit back up again. Straightening out his tattered uniform, he examined the white horizon. Almost directly ahead of him came a blast of Spiritual Pressure against each other. One of them caused him to sneer.

It belonged to Nnoitra.

Fists clenched, he had the right mind to kill the Quinto Espada for attacking him and leaving him for dead. But as the memories of Ichigo's Hollow soon came back to mind, he knew he'd have to save that for later. Scanning the horizon once more, he pinpointed the far off silhouette of Aporro's separate building. Putting the first step of his plan into motion, he quietly walked over to Orihime. Grabbing her by the collar of her shirt, he lifted her up to his eye level.

"Tell Kurosaki to come by that Laboratory over there" he instructed, nodding his head towards the building. "I got a little surprise for him. Think of it as a thanks for letting me live." Orihime nodded shyly, falling on her bottom once Grimmjow let go of her again. Without so much as a second to spare, Grimmjow disappeared with a Sonido. Up on her feet once she was alone, Orihime quickly darted off towards Ichigo's direction. He had gone off farther than she first thought, causing her to stop a few times to catch her breath. But as soon as she recognized his back, she couldn't help but smile.

"Kurosaki!" she yelled, immediately catching his attention. Blinking, Ichigo turned around to face her, a look of relief crossing his face.

"Orihime" he greeted, somewhat relaxed despite the situation. Stopping next to him she grinned at him. Opening her mouth she was about to explain what Grimmjow had said when she caught sight of the battle in front of them.

"What's going on...?" she asked, watching Kenpachi and the Espada duke it out.

"While you were gone, Kenpachi decided to drop by" Ichigo explained, his expression serious. "I knew I wasn't going to be able to defeat Nnoitra, so I'm more than glad." He lifted his arm, showing off his broken wrist.

"Oh, you're hurt!" she exclaimed, immediately putting a shield around him and beginning the healing process. Ichigo smiled, enjoying the warmth wash over him.

"What happened to Grimmjow?" he asked, watching Orihime's expression become sullen as she realized the extent of his injuries. At times he felt bad that she was always witness to his battle scars. It made him feel weak, but at the same time it gave him more initiative to protect his friends.

"He's okay" she replied, trying her hardest not to cry. "He wouldn't let me finish healing him all the way but..." she trailed off, unsure if she should tell him the message. Sure she was afraid of Grimmjow, but it felt wrong to lead Ichigo into another potentially dangerous situation. If he was to die because of her carelessness, she wouldn't be able to live with herself anymore. Ichigo blinked, looking down at her curiously when she didn't continue.

"But what?" he asked.

"...he said he wanted to...thank you for letting him live..." she said slowly, looking down at the ground. "He said he wanted to meet you at this Laboratory..." Ichigo furrowed his brow, thinking.

_Go._

He blinked, narrowing his eyes when he recognized the voice.

_Why should I?_

_You're always looking for a challenge aren't you? Go._

_I'm not going to fight people for the hell of it._

_Bullshit. Remember what Grimmjow said? You fight because you want to, not because you have to. You have Orihime and yet you're still here, waiting for the next opportunity to spill blood. This is your chance._

Ichigo glanced at Orihime, considering the Hollow's point. He could have left a long while ago. They could have all gone back home. But instead he stayed for that one reason he was too stubborn to admit. He wanted to fight, no matter what the circumstances.

_What about Orihime? I'm not just going to leave her here by herself._

_The 4th Squad should be able to babysit her while you're gone._

_...I don't know._

_Come on, don't be a pussy. You know you want to find out what Grimmjow's hiding for you._

_...Damn you._

**.:A2345678910JQK:.**

Grimmjow sighed, irritation obvious. Arriving at the Laboratory, he realized it was unoccupied, save for a few lowly Fraccion. Looking throughout the building's first few floors, he came up with nothing quickly.

"Damnit Aporro!" he yelled, reaching the top of yet another set of stairs. "Where the hell are you?!" He had never been inside the Laboratory before, so really he had no idea where he was going; only up. Getting frustrated, he was about to call his name again when the floor beneath him disappeared. Caught off guard, he fell through and into the darkness. Hitting the ground, he continued to slide down the now realized chute, a light coming up fast from below. Without so much as a few seconds to think, he landed feet first into another bright room before losing balance and landing on his butt. "What the hell...?" he mumbled, rubbing the side of his head. Standing up he immediately caught sight of Aporro, his back turned to him as he watched a large computer screen.

"Did you need something?" Aporro asked, turning to look at him eventually. Grimmjow nodded, approaching him.

"Since you're pretty good in the whole science business, I figured you'd be able to help me with a plan. If it works, it should give us a huge upper hand against the Shinigami." Aporro blinked, his expression remaining neutral.

"This sounds like one of your scattered brained ideas."

"And if it is?"

"Then I refuse to help." Grimmjow folded his arms across his chest, glaring at him.

"If you don't, I'll just kill you right here." Aporro returned his glare, adjusting his glasses. He debated his choices, although it didn't take long. Although Grimmjow was the Sexta Espada, he was in his Laboratory. This would give him an advantage over the man, albeit admittedly slim. Although it was tempting, he wasn't stupid enough to take the chance, especially when he was in the middle of killing off the Quincy and Shinigami.

"Fine. What do you need?"

"Come with me." Reluctantly, Aporro forced himself to move from his spot and follow Grimmjow out of the Laboratory. He was going to ask where they were headed, but was cut off when they arrived at the main strong hold of Las Noches. Upon entering, Aporro immediately narrowed his eyes.

"What are you planning?" he asked suspiciously, recognizing the path to Aizen's throne room. Grimmjow didn't immediately answer him, instead leading the way quietly. "Well?"

"Shut the hell up. I know what I'm doing."

"How am I suppose to have faith in those words?"

"You will. Now just shut your fuckin' mouth alright?" Shaking his head in doubt, Aporro trailed behind Grimmjow as the both of them entered the large throne room. Catching sight of Ulquiorra caught Grimmjow off guard. "What the hell are you doing back here?" he growled, walking up next to him. Ulquiorra merely gave him a long stare, hands tucked neatly in his pockets.

"Be nice, Grimmjow. He's had a long day." Aizen looked down at them, his legs crossed lazily. "Breaking out of a Caja Negacióntakes a lot of energy." Turning away from the other, Grimmjow proceeded to bow in respect for Aizen. Normally he wouldn't show any sort of submission for him. It wasn't his thing to purposefully become weak for others. But if he wanted his plans to come into action, he had to kiss ass.

"There's something we need to discuss with you, Aizen-sama." he stated, Aporro bowing next to him out of the corner of his eye. "It's urgent."

"What could possibly be urgent that involves you?" Ulquiorra drawled. Grimmjow snapped his head up to look at him, growling.

"I wasn't talking to you, ass face!"

"Language, Grimmjow." Aizen butted in, diffusing the situation. "I was in the middle of an important discussion with Ulquiorra. What makes your subject any more important?"

"It involves Ichigo Kurosaki."

"As do most conversations these days."

"It's about his Inner Hollow." Aizen's eyes immediately showed a glimmer of interest. The two other Espada looked at Grimmjow with baffled expressions, not having expected that at all. Straightening up along with Aporro, Grimmjow continued after Aizen gave him a simple nod. "I came in contact with him and he might be of use to us if we want to get rid of Ichigo quick and easy."

"Did you not hear me the first time we discussed this?" Ulquiorra replied, a hint of irritation in his tone. "I had told you that if Kurosaki became a burden, I would deal with him. There is no need for your interference." Aizen lifted a hand, silencing Ulquiorra before he could continue.

"What did you have in mind?" Aizen asked calmly, eying the two Espada as they moved closer.

"His Hollow doesn't seem to like him very much and envies the fact that other Hollows have their own bodies. So I made a deal with him; if he could bring Ichigo around to Aporro's Laboratory, we can separate the two of them into their own bodies."

"I suppose this would be where I come in..." Aporro said, sighing a little. "Even if I did have the supplies to do it, there is no guarantee it will work."

"That does not matter." Aizen said thoughtfully. "You will have enough time to hone your skills."

"Will there be someone there to occupy him until then?"

"Of course. I'll put Ulquiorra to the task." The Cuatro looked up at the mention of his name, frowning deeper than usual.

"If it's alright with you sir..." He said quietly. "I'd rather not waste my time with such menial work. Especially with work that involves the Sexta Espada..." Growling, Grimmjow walked up to him, getting in his face.

"If you have a problem with me, why don't you just say it to my face?!" Ulquiorra stepped back, his eyes locked on Grimmjow's.

"It's useless to speak to someone like you." Clenching his fists, Grimmjow held back the urge to sock him in the face. Instead, he huffed, relaxing a bit before stepping away.

"Tch, it doesn't matter what you think. When this plan works out perfectly, you'll be begging for my forgiveness." He looked back up at Aizen, his gaze more than amused as he looked down at them.

"You have my support Grimmjow." he said, receiving a large grin. "We can start immediately. You are all dismissed until further orders."

"Uh, sir?" Aporro said suddenly, raising a hand slightly. Aizen blinked, resting his chin on his fist.

"Yes?"

"What will happen once the Hollow is separated from Kurosaki?" Aizen looked at him curiously, not answering him. Instead, he looked to where Grimmjow stood. Crossing his arms, Grimmjow only smiled.

"We'll convince him to join our side."


End file.
